Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Lt-Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu were part of the launch. (Express photo)Launching the Master Plan for Delhi-2047 on Thursday, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal said the government aims to build 40 lakh new flats through this plan. “Most of them will be affordable housing.”The major thrust of the plan is to open up developable space in the national capital to deal with a shortage in housing and office space.“We have the same land, but Delhi’s population has grown significantly since to 2.4 crore in 2026. All villages have now been declared urban, adding to the pressure. At the same time, we have to protect 180 sq km of the Yamuna and Ridge,” he said.Press Conference on Delhi Master Plan 2047 https://t.co/KWaAAtaubR— Manohar Lal (@mlkhattar) August 20, 2026Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Lt-Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu were part of the launch.MPD 2047 was approved by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on August 12 at an authority meeting chaired by the L-G. It is awaiting final approval and notification from the Centre.The document will set the course for how the capital grows, houses its population and manages its environment for the next two decades.What is a Master Plan?A Master Plan is a long-term planning document that is supposed to provide a conceptual layout to guide a city’s future growth and development. It includes analysis, recommendations and proposals covering a city’s population, economy, housing, transportation, community facilities and land use.Must Read | Delhi LG, CM Rekha Gupta flag off 200 e-buses; launch 56 Ladies Special servicesDrafted under the Delhi Development Act, 1957, the first Master Plan for Delhi was announced in 1962, followed by plans for 2001 and 2021 – the last of which was also delayed and eventually notified in 2007.Why is this plan important?Story continues below this adDelhi is grappling with a worsening shortage of affordable housing even as the region absorbs a growing population.The share of affordable newly launched homes priced below Rs 40 lakh fell from 62% in 2020 to 11% last year. In contrast, luxury and ultra-luxury housing – worth Rs 1.5 crore and above – jumped from 13% of new supply in 2019 to 70% in 2024, with 59% of such units last year priced above Rs 2.5 crore, according to a report by real estate consultancy Anarock.Most of the growth in housing units comes from outside Delhi because the national capital does not have regulations conducive to high density construction.This squeeze has pushed unplanned growth to the city’s fringes.Story continues below this adInternal DDA assessments show over 3,500 hectares of land in Outer Delhi – roughly the size of 4,900 football fields – has come under unauthorised construction, stretching from Burari and Narela in the North to Najafgarh and Chhawla in the Southwest.Devansh Mittal is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in the New Delhi City bureau. He reports on urban policy, civic governance, and infrastructure in the National Capital Region, with a growing focus on housing, land policy, transport, and the disruption economy and its social implications. Professional Background Education: He studied Political Science at Ashoka University. Core Beats: His reporting focuses on policy and governance in the National Capital Region, one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world. He covers housing and land policy, municipal governance, urban transport, and the interface between infrastructure, regulation, and everyday life in the city. Recent Notable Work His recent reporting includes in-depth examinations of urban policy and its on-ground consequences: An investigation into subvention-linked home loans that documented how homebuyers were drawn into under-construction projects through a “builder–bank” nexus, often leaving them financially exposed when delivery stalled. A detailed report on why Delhi’s land-pooling policy has remained stalled since 2007, tracing how fragmented land ownership, policy design flaws, and mistrust among stakeholders have kept one of the capital’s flagship urban reforms in limbo. A reported piece examining the collapse of an electric mobility startup and what it meant for women drivers dependent on the platform for livelihoods. Reporting Approach Devansh’s work combines on-ground reporting with analysis of government data, court records, and academic research. He regularly reports from neighbourhoods, government offices, and courtrooms to explain how decisions on housing, transport, and the disruption economy shape everyday life in the city. Contact X (Twitter): @devanshmittal_ Email: devansh.mittal@expressindia.com ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:delhi